There exist several technologies that can produce electricity on a premises, whether a residential or commercial building. Among these are photovoltaic panels (e.g., solar panels), small scale natural gas turbines (also known as micro-turbines), small-scale wind turbines (in contrast to the large turbines used in grid connected wind farms), low pressure water turbines, high-pressure low flow water turbines, and fuel cells using hydrogen, natural gas, and potentially other hydrocarbons. These technologies are herein referred to as “distributed energy sources.” Distributed energy sources have been deployed only to a very limited extent for reasons of cost, convenience, and a lack of harmonized grid inter-connection standards. Historically, power storage and supply devices typically involve the charging of batteries that store energy in the event of a power failure of a home or business' main source of electricity, which is normally provided from a utility power grid connected to the home or business and are designed to support the entire or selected electrical load of the home or business. As a result, residential and commercial power storage and supply devices are typically very large and cumbersome. Some power storage and supply devices use alternative energy sources, such as the ones listed above. The power storage and supply devices store the electric power produced by an alternative energy source and may even supply power to a utility power grid, in essence operating as a small, distributed power generation plant. Many local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as private utility companies, are encouraging this practice as evidenced by the changing regulatory environment and passage of such distributed power and energy storage policies as AB970, SB412, SB 14 and AB44. Further, rule makers such as FERC, CASIO, and the CPUC are making priority changes (e.g., CEC Integrated Energy Policy Report, CAISO implementation of FERC Order 719, etc.), which encourage or mandate the use of distributed energy storage and power generation. Unfortunately, the use of alternative energy sources in conjunction with such power storage and supply device systems has been limited primarily because of cost and convenience and communications standards.
In recent years, however, the costs associated with adopting and using alternative energy sources has decreased substantially as distributed energy power and storage technologies have been refined, sales have increased due to the creation of new markets (e.g., plug-in electric hybrid vehicles and the globalized adoption of solar technologies), and more suppliers have entered the market resulting in greater manufacturing capacity and market competitiveness for both photovoltaic and battery manufacturers. The cost barriers to distributed electrical technologies are also eroding due to factors such as real and/or perceived increases in the cost of electricity and other forms of energy, the widespread adoption of time-of-use pricing (TOU) or real-time pricing (RTP) by utilities, favorable terms for the utilities' purchase of power from such distributed sources, and government financial incentives (e.g., The federal business energy investment tax credit available under 26 USC §48 was expanded significantly by the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 (H.R. 1424), enacted in October 2008, etc.) which encourage investment in distributed and environmentally more benign electrical technologies.
Adoption of distributed energy power and storage technologies is also increasing due to the widespread implementation of an Advanced Metering Infrastructure; commonly referred to as AMI. Advanced metering systems are comprised of state-of-the-art electronic/digital hardware and software, which combine interval data measurement with continuously available remote communications. These systems enable measurement of detailed, time-based information and frequent collection and transmittal of such information to various parties. AMI typically refers to the full measurement and collection system that includes meters at the customer site, communication networks between the customer and a service provider, such as an electric, gas, or water utility, and data reception and management systems that make the information available to the service provider. With AMI utilities are now better able to manage installed devices within the homes of participating consumers that, under utility control, selectively disable energy-consuming devices (e.g., hot water heaters or air conditioning units) in response to peak loading conditions. Furthermore, utilities are now able in certain cases to remotely activate and aggregate distributed power and energy supplies to increase the supply of electricity to constrained parts of the electricity grid.
There has been an increasing emphasis in recent years on energy conservation. Electric utilities have also come under increasing pressure to reduce the need to fire up polluting power plants to serve peak demands, such as during hot summer days. With the enactment of current legislation and rulemaking (e.g., AB970, AB32, and FERC Order 719, etc.), electric utilities also have an incentive to “smooth out” energy demand to minimize the need to install new power transmission and distribution lines; further negating environmental and land use issues. Examples of a few of the ways in which utilities can perform these tasks are referred to as “demand side management” and “supply side management.” Demand side management refers to the selective reduction of energy demand in response to peak loading conditions. For example, utilities have for years installed devices in the homes of participating consumers that, under utility control, selectively disable energy-consuming devices (e.g., hot water heaters or air conditioning units) in response to peak loading conditions. As another example, utilities are able in certain cases to remotely activate energy supplies to increase the supply of electricity to parts of the electricity grid. It would be advantageous to provide more sophisticated control mechanisms to permit electric utilities and others to effectively monitor and control distributed energy resources, such as storage units capable of storing electricity and reselling it to the grid on command. It would also be advantageous to provide more sophisticated demand side management tasks using aggregated resources to manage localized constraints on the utility grid (e.g., substation, feeder-line, residence, etc.).
Conventional systems do not configure a leverage generation apparatus and energy management system that create ratios of force output to force input within a range of from 7:1 to 22:1 depending on losses in the system. The unique combination of elements in the various embodiments disclosed herein, enable distributed, localized, aggregated, and virtualized control of renewable energy that can be conditioned as suitable for the electric utility grid or a customer specific grid or array. The system can deliver power to utilities and energy consumers in ways that maximize avoided costs, ensure energy reliability, and accelerate the integration of renewable energies and electric vehicles.
The remaining barriers to market adoption of distributed power storage and supply devices are convenience. At present there are significant challenges to an individual's or building owner's installation of renewable energy technologies. In typical installations the component parts must be purchased from multiple vendors and integrated in a custom installation using new designs that currently do not exist to create the high degree of force ratios and leverage contemplated herein. Moreover, buying the component parts requires knowledge of the market for and the technical aspects of the different energy technologies, the construction required to install the technologies in accord with local codes, regulatory requirements, and guidelines imposed by industrial liability insurance companies. In addition, if the power generated in excess of requirements on the premise is to be resold, utilities impose additional requirements for connection of such systems to the utility's power grid. Another hindrance to implementing the use of distributed power storage and supply devices is that many local industrial engineers and electricians do not yet know how to engineer and design the disparate components as much of this technology is new or not widely used. As a result of such errors and/or lack of know-how by the engineers, designers, and installers, the attendant mechanical and electrical actuators can be intimidating for new applications and lead to concerns and issues regarding safety, strength and reliability in addition to aesthetics. Further, the typical industrial business owner is not qualified or certified, and the associated expense too high, to provide adequate maintenance or replacement of many of the high performance devices such as servo-motor controls for the electrical actuated drive devices and related gears. This adds cost to the upkeep of any distributed power storage and supply devices.
The measured consumption of energy will be multiplied with the number of operating hours and extrapolated to the real need during a year. In our calculation 6000 hours per year have been taken as a basis. The need of energy of an air cylinder is 8380 kWh per year. A hydraulic cylinder uses 3602 kWh per annum. The electro mechanical alternative has just 816 kWh per year. The CO2 consumption of the pneumatic system is 5.3 tons per year and 2.3 tons for the hydraulic actuator compared with 525 kg for the electro mechanical one. That is a saving of 90 percent compared to the pneumatic cylinder and 77 percent compared to the hydraulic one. The calculated energy consumption per year multiplied with the average industrial energy cost of 0.1/KWh defines the cost of each system. The evaluation of the CO2 emission is based on the German carbon emission/energy formula of 644 gr(CO2)/(kWh). A comparison that is based on the energy consumption of the electro mechanical actuator brings us to the result that the hydraulic actuator needs for the same duty cycle 4.4 times more energy. The pneumatic cylinder needs even ten times more energy.
A leverage generator apparatus for generating electricity from energy transferred from a one or more partially rotating, two-sided levers each operating on one or more triangular weighted swivel devices that are propelled over a center point on the partially rotating, two-sided lever by one or more piston switches and actuators and one or more high spring constant primary and secondary spring mechanisms and each supported by a triangular support structure operating as a fulcrum at a center-point of the one or more partially rotating, two-sided levers, such that the energy transferred from the leverage generator turns a crankshaft linked to a turbine generator device. A renewable energy vertical leverage generator apparatus generates electricity from energy transferred by one or more pairs of rotating triangular weight car harness structures travelling on a track system operating as a receptacle to capture weighted car devices such that the triangular weight car harness structures rotate threehundredsixty degrees to produce forces sufficient to turn an axel of a turbine generator device. In other configurations one or more pairs of rotating triangular weight car harness structures travel on a track system in a time delayed, phase shifted manner from one another to continuously apply force via one or more gearing mechanisms to a common axel sufficient to turn the axel at a continuous angular velocity. Various methods provide processes to generate electricity from energy created through mechanical leverage produced from one or more partially rotating, two-sided levers or one or more rotating triangular weight car harness structures that are coupled to various devices to provide configurations of mechanical advantage devices working synchronously with one another. In further applications, industrial control software provides an interface between the leverage device equipment and the renewable energy generation devices. In other embodiments, an energy cloud monitors the operation of the leverage generator devices in communication with the renewable energy generation equipment to aggregate energy resources.
A software platform controls one or more leverage generator systems to form a site management system for real-time energy and information to the system. The software platform also aggregates systems together in a real-time network for the delivery of aggregated energy and information. Software services pool and dynamically scale energy resources across the customer, domain specific grid or array upon demand. Multiple applications are delivered to multiple customer segments from this single platform. A Renewable Energy Leverage Generated Cloud platform, in conjunction with a site management leverage generated integration system enable utilities, energy consumers, and third parties to buy and sell energy each according to their interest. Customers are served by adopting a cloud-services delivery model for energy. Each engineered Leverage Generated Apparatus array provides power generation, power storage, and energy services (via a gateway controller and the Renewable Leverage Generated Energy Cloud software platform, at the site where it is deployed. In the physical sense, energy services specific to the customer reside at the local deployment site but in a virtual aspect, the customer's energy services data are partitioned in a customer specific instance of the Leverage Generated Software Platform. At the same time, reserve energy from each and every leverage generated apparatus unit and array under management is pooled in the cloud. From this virtualized pool, customers can reserve energy in advance, and can also request energy in real-time. Remaining available energy reserves, both to 3rd-party aggregators and into open markets for ancillary services.
An energy management system with integrated solar and storage applicable to a home in certain aspects, but it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the energy management system is equally applicable to office buildings and other structures such as warehouses, manufacturing facilities, factories, small-businesses, storefronts, department stores, shopping centers, restaurants, malls, single family or one or more multi-family dwellings and the like. In one configuration, one or more alternate energy sources are connected to a power storage and supply device which is integrated into a pre-existing customer power system. The pre-existing customer power system is connected to a common power array or grid, as is common in a wind farm or solar array.
The a leverage generator with one or more partially rotating, two-sided levers or a vertical leverage generator with one or more fully rotating weighted device track system blades may be packaged as load cells and may be further configured as an array. The arrays may operate at various voltages. In one configuration, the array may operate at a DC voltage of 90 VDC with a maximum output capacity at 2.5 kWp. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other multi-voltages, output capacities, and photovoltaic array sizes are contemplated. Other photovoltaic cells produced by various manufacturers and operating at various currents, voltages, and power output capacities may also be used as alternate energy sources. Other alternate energy sources to fire piston switches may be activated with a variety of fuel sources (e.g., electric, hydrogen, fuel cell, wind or water-based systems) may also be used. The power storage and supply devices also include energy storage modules such as batteries, fuel cells, or any other suitable type of independent energy storage medium as appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.
Further, the power storage and supply device includes a charge controller; one or more energy storage modules; one or more inverters; a electromechanical isolation breaker; a local data processing gateway with data logging capabilities; a home area network (HAN); is Internet compatible; contains a web portal and optionally communicates through an advanced meter infrastructure (AMI), all of which are preferably connected to or contained therein with a single enclosed cabinet, such as the one discussed in more detail below. Furthermore, an Independent service operator and/or Utility Enterprise System may communicate with the energy storage and supply device via the internet user interface. In an embodiment of the present invention each array of photovoltaic cells (acting as the alternate energy source) has a dedicated charge controller, though it is recognized that the charge controllers can be configured in a number of ways appreciable by one of ordinary skill in the art. The charge controller routes the electricity generated by the alternate energy source to one or any number/size of the energy storage modules and the inverters. Alternatively, the charge controller may be controlled by another device, such as the local data processing gateway, which makes this determination. In an embodiment of the present invention, the inverter is a grid tied hybrid PV Schneider Electric XW4548-12/240-60, the charge controller is & Schneider Electric charge controller XW-MPPT60-150, but other suitable charge controllers and inverters may also be used.
The inverters separate the DC output voltage into time varying segments to produce an AC (alternating current) power signal, such as a 120/240 split-phase load current, which is typically the current supplied to a house. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, one inverter is used hybrid PV Schneider Electric XW4548-12/240-60, but other suitable inverters can also be used.
The electromechanical isolation breaker preferably includes one or more automated switches for dynamically directing the AC power signal from the inverters to a desired load. For example, in the embodiment, the power storage and supply device may be configured to send and receive power from the alternate energy sources or to/from the utility power grid only.
The local data processing gateway monitors and controls most of the processes conducted by the power storage and supply device. The local data processing gateway is a computer-implemented device that may include, for example, one or more processors, a clock, memory, I/O interfaces, analog to digital converters, digital to analog converters, and operating system software. In addition, the local data processing gateway includes a number of software modules for implementing the functionality discussed below. The local data processing gateway can be configured to monitor and control the processes and measurements conducted by the power storage and supply device in either a local or remote mode configuration and can be aggregated by a third party (e.g., independent service operator, etc.) or utility for purposes of dispatching and controlling distributed power or stored energy.
Optimization. The various embodiments of a leverage generator with one or more partially rotating, two-sided levers or a vertical leverage generator with one or more fully rotating weighted device track system blades enable a user to size and scale the apparatus and integrate the devices with inverters and power generation system according to the needs of the site in a utility-grade form-factor.
Localization. The leverage generation apparatus system is placed strategically at a site to generate renewable energy at a place where power and energy are most needed.
Aggregation. The capacity of multiple site leverage generation apparatus systems is combined and managed as one resource to provide grid-scale impact.
Automation. The software platform in an example embodiment maximizes the value of energy and power services by intelligent and automated charge and dispatch of one or more renewable energy leverage generating apparatus configurations.
Virtualization. The various embodiments can pool available renewable energy leverage generating capacity into energy resources that can be reserved, allocated, and scaled to meet demand.
Integration. Applications and data are delivered over the web and integrated with external systems by means of open standards.
In certain aspects, a machine in the example form of a computer system within which a set of instructions when executed may cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein. In alternative embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a Home Network consumer appliance with an embedded logic on a chip or software, or any such device implemented via the Internet-of-Things technology (IoT), a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” can also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.
An exemplary computer system may include a data processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both), a main memory and a static memory, which communicate with each other via a bus. The computer system may further include a video display unit (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system may also include one or more input devices (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit, a signal generation device (e.g., a speaker) and a network interface device.
An exemplary disk drive unit may include a non-transitory machine-readable medium on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The instructions may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory, the static memory, and/or within the processor during execution thereof by the computer system. The main memory and the processor also may constitute machine-readable media. The instructions may further be transmitted or received over a network via the network interface device. While the machine-readable medium is shown in an example embodiment to be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” should be taken to include a single non-transitory medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” can also be taken to include any non-transitory medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the various embodiments, or that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying data structures utilized by or associated with such a set of instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” can accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, optical media, and magnetic media.